The Keeper
by BananaBabe903
Summary: We all know the Doctor has loved Rose Tyler, Grace Holloway, and several others. But who was his true love? The one that started it all? The one who made the Doctor fight on the front line? What was Gallifrey like when the Doctor was free? The Keeper.


He had noticed her for some time, watching her—making sure she was safe. Making sure she was okay, her lunch was fresh, nobody was picking on her—in a way, he was her guardian angel. Her long, golden tresses hung just below her shoulders, her sharp green eyes twinkling with excitement, her lips thin, but perfectly shaped. Her name was Sallyovindalikatropoliunkiss, or Sally for short, and she was his. She was the most popular girl in the Academy, known for her wits as much as her sense of style or energy and muscle. Every lady envied her, and every lord wanted her.

Sally hung out with girls that were daughters of military officers, professors, teachers, Government officials, fashion models, actors and actresses—but not Sally. No, she was orphaned at birth, and she lived with her grandmother and grandfather, who were humble Time Lords that lived on top of an old hill next to the hermit that he himself visited once in awhile—but only to gaze at Sally from afar.

She was kind, sweet, and gentle. So that day, in Earth time, October 30, at the end of the long Academy school day, he decided to ask her to the Earth Dance.

The Earth Dance was where the Time Lords and Ladies would act and dress like Earthlings in silly costumes and develop humanoid names—it was on October 31.

So he decided to gather up his pride and ask her after the Academy day was over to the dance. He was thinking of who would support him in the matter—he couldn't ask his father—being a Time Lord, he wasn't very good at showing emotion, he couldn't ask his friend, Chor, 'cause he was immature about it and tell Sally before he even had the chance, he couldn't ask the hermit because he wouldn't be able to ditch school just to visit the hill, so who could he ask? Of course—his mother.

He was an outcast because of his human mother—kids at school would taunt him and _torture _him because of who he was. They tested his emotions, seeing how long it'd take him to crack open and cry. So that was how he learned to hide his emotions—except with his mother. He'd cry in her arms for hours and hours because of who he was, and his mother would soothe him and console him.

During break, he decided to send a message to his mother. He recorded himself in a hologram. He got a holographic reply from his mother. He opened it up, and listened intently. His mother had long, curly brunette hair, and hazel eyes that were full of energy, and she wore classic Earth clothing—cowbell jeans, tie-dye shirts, and a flowery headband.

"Hello, Theta. I just received your message, and I know it's hard, but if she knew that you liked her very much, she'd be proud—besides, you're a young man now, about, errm… if you're about seventeen in Earth years… you'd be about one hundred and thirty-two, yes? Very good! See, I can do math," the hologram said, eyes twinkling with humor. "Anyway, you know what to do, Theta. Follow your heart." The hologram closed.

He smiled happily, knowing that his someone approved of him and his decisions in the world.

"Hey, Sigma, why you smilin'? Did your mommy get over her illness?" a voice boomed from behind him. Theta didn't need to look to know that is was Lio, the bully.

"What, Sigma? Cat got your tongue?" Lio mock-cooed.

"Leave me alone, Lio," Theta said.

"Oh, what? Did I make the poor little They-they sad?" Lio growled.

"I said leave me alone," Theta repeated through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you're no fun," Lio said, rolling his eyes.

Sally and her friends walked over, and Theta's heart skipped a beat. Lio, seeing that girls were watching him, flipped his surfer-dude blond hair and continued his taunting.

"Well, Theta, I asked you, answer the question: is your mommy over her puny human mentally retarded illness?" Lio asked.

"I don't care about you and your games, Lio. I said leave me alone," Theta growled back.

"Ooh, feisty, is he not? Well, I know someone cares for me, Sally, come here," Lio said, grabbing the hem of Sally's skirt and pulling her towards him.

Sally pushed him. "Get away from me, Lio," she snapped.

"Aw, come on, Sal. I know you love me, and you can prove it to me tonight," Lio said.

"No, ew!" Sally cried.

"Leave her alone!" Theta cried, pushing Lio aside.

Lio looked shocked, but his face immediately went from surprise to anger. "What, _Sigma_? Did you just _push _me?"

And that is how, on October 30 in Earth days, Theta got a black eye.

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Sally approached Theta sitting in the Nurse's office, her white robe dangling dangerously close to the ground.

"Hi, I just wanted to say, um, thanks," Sally said. "No one's ever um, done that for me before, and I just wanted to say thanks."

Theta took off the icepack from his eye. "Welcome, Sally… it was no biggie." _Do it now, Theta, do it now, you big fool!!! _"So, um, Sally… I was wondering if you… wouldgototheEarthDaydancewithme?"

Sally's smile went all the way up to her ears. "Of course, Theta." She smiled at him, wrote down her PIP number and left the office.

Theta couldn't stop smiling the whole way home, not caring if anyone stopped him.

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"Come on, hurry up!" Theta cried, running to the top of the hill with the old tree.

"I'm coming!" Sally replied, laughing and clutching her stomach.

She met him, laughing at the top of the hill, and couldn't stop giggling. Neither could he.

Theta tore open the picnic basket and took out several items. A red and white checkered table cloth, a bottle of bubbly, flowers, homemade sandwiches and cookies, and a small box that he would keep for later.

"Before we start, Theta," Sally said, turning solemn. "I just wanted to say, sorry, about your mother. She was amazing."

Theta lowered his head at the memory of his mother's demise. The doctors had tried to keep her alive, and they did so that Theta would turn one hundred and thirty-two, but her fragile human heart couldn't keep up any longer, and eventually, Susan Davenport-Sigma died.

"S'okay," Theta muttered. He tried lightening the mood. "Anyway, Miss Sally, tonight will be a night of happiness." He poured her a glass of bubbly.

"Mmm, looks good," Sally analyzed.

"Oh yes!" Theta cried.

"Theta, or er, _Doctor_," Sally giggled.

"Ugh! That blasted name! I mean, Theta is my nickname, but Doctor? Honestly, at the graduating ceremony (thank God I passed this year… 51%, woo hoo!) when they told me to choose a name, I didn't know what to say or do, so I chose Doctor… yours is _much _better, Sally, or should I say, _Keeper_?" Theta cried.

"Yes, very good, Doctor," Sally laughed.

"Yes, very good, Keeper," Theta repeated.

Sally ran her fingers through his dirty blond hair that he had cut and waved at the very end. "Theta, how come you never tell anyone your real name?" she asked, solemnly.

Theta's eyes grew large, and said, "Sally, I'll tell you when the time is right."

Sally apparently understood, nodded, eyes wide with innocence, and sipped her wine.

"Sally," Theta started, slowly. He opened the velvet box to reveal a silver ring with a Tolbįn green moon stone on it (to match her eyes) with stone roses inside as decoration.

Sally turned the ring around to see engraving in the back that read: S&T4ever. Her eyes glistened with tears.

"Will you marry me?" Theta asked her.

"Oh, yes," Sally sniffled. She slid the ring on her finger. "I do!"

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"We've got to hurry!" Theta cried, taking the Bride's hand.

"Don't you think I know that?" Sally snapped back, lifting up her Gallifreyan bridal gown—black lace that reached her toes and covered her entire body in black designs that resembled tattoos. "Thing is, we're not even married yet!"

"But come on!" Theta cried, running into something that resembled a spaceship.

"A TARDIS?" Sally cried.

"Do you have a better idea?" Theta demanded to know.

Sally sighed then ran inside. "Okay, then, where do we go?" she asked him.

"Well, how 'bout the sixties in Earth? You want to get married…" he suggested. He pulled a lever on the TARDIS.

Sally hit the part of the TARDIS with a hammer. "Off we go then," she said, smiling.

The TARDIS began shaking wildly back and forth and they ran outside to see that they were in modern 1960's London.

"Quick! Look, a chapel!" Theta pointed out a small building to Sally.

"Works for me!" she cried. As they ran, she added, "The Gallifreyan marriage consultants will be here any moment! We've got to hurry!"

They ran into the chapel, and Theta ran up to the priest. "Marry us," he ordered. "Now would be nice. No fancy talking stuff, just say it."

The priest looked unmoved, and said, "Do you, uh… what's your… oh, do you Sally Epsilon take this man to be your beloved husband?"

Sally smiled at him, and said, "I do."

The priest turned to Theta. "And do you… take… um…"

Theta whispered two words in the priest's ear and the priest continued his speech. "You may kiss the bride."

Sally and Theta enveloped each other in a slow, passionate kiss, and the two beloved ran out of the chapel, ready to begin their new adventure.

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"Hi, hun, how was work?" Sally asked John as he entered their tiny one bedroom apartment.

John tried to smile. "Wonderful, computer programming, no college degree on Earth, nifty." He changed the subject. "How was Betty today?"

Sally looked at him with tired eyes. "Oh, she's fine. She's sleeping now, so be--," a howl erupted from the main sleeping room. "Just dandy," Sally added.

"Well, I hope you had a good day, 'cause I have some bad news." Theta approached her with a tiny black sphere. Sally immediately recognized the origin.

"That's… Time Lord? Did the council find us?" she asked, quietly.

John nodded his head, and said, "Open it." So they did.

"_Hello, Theta Sigma and Sallyovindalikatropoliunkiss Epsilon, we have known you have ran away to planet Earth, and we must say that is quite incorrigible, and accountable by law. We have sent this message saying that the court will like to have a meeting with you, and as soon as possible, for we must speak about you on trial—for it is unethical to do such things as you did. Thank you. Within five seconds of finish listening to this, this message will transmit you to Gallifrey's main court. Thank you."_ And so they did.

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"They killed Betty. Ohmigod, I still can't believe it," Sally cried, sniffling. It had been four months, three days, and two hours since the Time Lords had declared that the only way to punish Sally and Theta was to sacrifice the Earth-born child.

"I know," Theta whispered. "Sally?" he lifted her chin with his finger.

"Yes?" she sniffled.

"Remember. You're the Keeper. No longer Sally. You can survive. You're an official Time Lord slash Ladynoidea now," he said. Sally stifled a laugh.

"Yeah. And you're the Doctor," she whispered. "My Doctor. My one, and true Doctor."

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**SCENE: THE FIRST TIME WAR**

"We've got to stop the Daleks," the Doctor cried.

"Well no duh!" the Keeper fired back. "And we need to make sure Davina and Coleb are all right back on Earth!"

"We need to watch the Daleks! This is the first ever major war!" the Doctor retorted.

"We need to make sure the children are okay," the Keeper said, firmly.

The Doctor shook her by the shoulders. "Keeper, I'm telling you now. Go fight the Daleks. Come on."

The Keeper stared hard at him. "You are a cold, worthless man. You know, most worthy husbands would tell their wives to watch the children and tell them to be safe. You just want to me to die, don't you?" and she ran away to go into the battle from inside the tent.

"No, Keeper," the Doctor tried to say, but it was too late. She had already left.

"Theta, they need you out there," the Pirate ordered at him.

"Right away, cap'n!" he replied. The Doctor ran outside to see laser beams and gun fire being shot around them.

"Ex-ter-min-ate!" Daleks roared around the planet of Gallifrey in fury.

"Theta!"

The Doctor spun around to see a Dalek in front of him, ready to shoot. The Keeper had called his name.

"No, Keeper, don't!" he cried. But it was too late. The Keeper had ran in front of him, and was exterminated.

"Please, please, regenerate, please," the Doctor whispered.

"I-I can't," the Keeper whispered. "It's too late, Theta. I'm sorry. It's too late. I don't have enough power--."

"One more time. Let's say the three special words one last time," the Doctor said, tears in his eyes, holding the Keeper.

"All right," the Keeper said.

"All right, on the count of three, one, two, three… I love you." But he was the only one who had said it. "Keeper?" he stared at her. "Keeper?" he shook her. "Sally! Sally! Sally!!!" She was gone. She had always been heading for that death scene. He always knew, somehow, he, himself would get her killed. He just could never get himself to admit it.

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On the second Time War, after all his Time Traveling, the Doctor had made sure that the Daleks would be defeated. He decided to fight on the front line. He would get his vengeance. For Sally. For Sally Epsilon-Sigma. For Sally Smith.

**Hope ya'll liked it!!! :( sad, yes??? Good! I hope I did a good job… now, please rate and review (you know you want to…) **


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